Rotary explosion-engine.



e SHEETS-SHEET 2f PATENTEE SEPT. 24, 1907.

mm ,RM1 mm, N w@ N R J. E. SOUTHERN & E. J. GRIE'ST.

ROTARY EXPLOSION ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED 5311.27, 1904.

No'I 866,693.

R E S. m l

v nrolmfr.

No. 866,693. PATENTED SEPT. 24, 1907.

J'. E. SOUTHERN 6a H. GRIEST.

ROTARY EXPLOSION ENGINE. APPLIUATION FILED Pam/.1904.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

4 rra/mfr.

l PATENTED SEPT. 24, 1907.

J. P. SOUTHERN 6r H. J. GRIEST.

ROTARY EXPLOSION ENGINE. APLIUATION FILED APB. 27.. 1904.

No. 866.693. PATENTBD SEPT. 24, 1907.'

J. F. SOUTHERN z H. J. GRIEST.

ROTARY EXPLOSION ENGINE. APrLIogTIoN FILED APB.27.1904.

ATTRNEK 6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

PATENTED SEPT. 24, 1907. J. E. SOUTHERN & H. J. GRIEST.

ROTARY EXPLOSION ENGINE.

APPLIOATION FILED APB. 27,1904.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

NVENTOR- UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

'oEN E. soUTEEaN, or WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, AND HENRY J. eaIEsT, oroHEsTEa,

' PENNSYLVANIA; sAm SOUTHERN AssreNoR To sAm GniEsT.

ROTARY ExPaosroN-ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Slept. 24, 1907.

Application flleifpi-il 27, 1904. Serial No. 205,111.

Castle and State of Delaware, and atGhester, in the` county of Delawareand State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful RotaryExplosion-Engine, of which the following is a specification. Ourinvention relates to the type of rotary explosion engines in ,which the.piston revolves through an annular cylinder, receiving a fresh impulsefrom the explod#I ing'gases at each revolution. The nature of our in-Vvention will appear from the description and claims i Referring to thedrawings, Figure l view taken on 'line X3 of Fig. l; Fig. 4 is asectional view of the explosion chamber on a 'somewhatlarger l scale;Fig. 5 is en end view of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a sectional viewof Fig. 4 on,line X, Fig. 7 is a side view -of the ...piston holder on a still largerscale; Fig. 8 isa sectional view on lineX of Fig. '7; Fig. V9 is asideviw 'of the expansion -ring surrounding the piston holder; Fig.

10 is a sectional view of Fig. 9 on line X10; Fig. 1l is a View ofthepiston; Fig. 12 is a sectional view of Fig. l1

on line X12; Fig. lvis an end view of the plug; Fig. 14 is @semanal-viewof Fig. is on 1in@ X14; Fig. 15 is an end view of the abutment shaft;Fig. 16 is a sec- `tional view of Fig. l5 on line X15; and Fig. 17 is adiagrammatic view of the pump and its connections.

The main shaft, l, runs in bearings inthe case, 11,. these bearingsbeing provided with adjusting cones 33 and 35-held in place by the screwcaps 32 and 34. The case is formed in two similar halves to admit the`working parts and bolted together at 62 after the working parts are inplace; it `is made tight by annular tongues and grooves 24.

Fitting inside the case, 1l and keyed, or otherwise V firmly secured tothe main shaft, 1, is the piston holder,

3, it is provided with expansion rings, 4l and 42 to prevent leakage,and the piston, 4 is secured in it by means ofthe bolt, 68, passingthrough bolt hole, 73. The piston, 4, 'is provided with expansion rings,7, and is dished out at 72,.for the purpose of increasing the expansionspace. Surrounding the piston holder, 3, is a semicylindrical expansionring, 5, cut out at, 7.1, to allow the insertion of the piston; thisexpansion ring. is for the purpose of preventing leakage between thepiston holder and the abutment, it also prevents leakage from one sideof the cylinder 82 to the other side f between the two portions of thepiston holder, 3.

bolted together, forming asocket, 69, for the reception of the piston,`4. The piston' holder is of a concave semicircular section, as shown,and this concave portion together with the concave inside of the case,form what 4we-terrn thepiston cylinder, 82. And by the term pistoncylinder we refer to the chamber in which the pist-onA head, 4 moves andwhich in this case is inthe forml of a cylindrical ring and is properlytermed an annular cylinder asdistinguishcd from a right cylinder as inan ordinary reciprocating engine.

Keyed` or otherwise firmly secured to the abutment shaft, 2, is theabutment, 9, the convex surface of which fits into the concave surfaceof the expansion ring, 5. This abutment, 9, is provided with an openingor recess, l0, to allow the passage of the piston through it; thisopening is of a peculiar shape, as shown, which we have found is thecorrect shape to just allow the passage of thevpiston withoutsubstantially any waste space. lt will be noticed in the sectional viewof Fig. l, that the two sides of the opening', l0 are not exactly of thesame shapeJ-as they would be if this opening only just allowed thepiston to pass, but' we have thought it advisable to remove the humpfrom one side of the opening l0, in order to give afully open, straightpassage for the expanding gases to impinge upon the piston. -Also keyed,or otherwise firmly secured to the abutment shaft, 2, is agear, 58,meshing with the gear, 60, on shaft, l, thus causing the two shafts torotate synchronously. The concave portion of the case in which theabutment rotates, we term the abutment cylinder, 83. And by' the termabutment cylinder we refer to the chamber in which Vthe abutment movesor rotates which in this case is in the form of a cylindrical ring andis properly termed an annular cylinder.

'56, and within the abutment shaft, 2, ,is a plug, 54,

which also is of a conical shape on the end to fit closely against theange 56; it is provided with an annular fiange 55, by means of which, inconnection with the screw cap, 36, it is held in place in the abutmentshaft,

2. This plug, 54, is also provided with an opening 27,

directly `in line with the opening 65 of the explosion chamber.

By the rotation of the abutment shaft, 2, the plug and explosion chamberremaining stationary, the opening 57 in the flange 56, may bebrought inline with bolts, 68. It is preferably formed in `two portions and apipe, is bolted to the end thereof, at the bolt holes,

66, for the entry of the cooling medium. A spark plug, 3], ofany-,approved construction is screwed into the end of the explosionchamber as shown. Surrounding the end of the explosion chamber at theouter end, is a spiral spring, 79, held in place by the washer, 6, andscrew cap, 64, which togetherhold the explosion chamber in a yieldingbut tight joint against the flange, 56. The abutment shalt, 2, isprovided with bearings in, the case, 1l, having adjusting cones 38 and40gand screw caps 37 and 3l). The explosion chamber is provided alsowith the expansion rings, 45, and the abutment is provided with theexpansion rings 43 and 44 to prevent leakage. l

An eccentric, 20, on the main shaft, 1, through the connecting rod 48,operates the pump, 15. The length ol the stroke of the pump piston 51,is adjustable by means ol the link motion, 13. To the link, 13, the

,connecting rod, 48, is pivoted at 46, andthepiston rod, 1.9 is pivotedto the sliding block, 80. An L shaped lever, 77 is centered at 78, andpivoted to the link, 13 at 81. By means of this lever, the link, 13, maybe thrown, down, together with the connecting rod, 48, bringing theeccentric to the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 17, or anyposition intermediate between that and the position shown in lull linesin thesame ligure. The further down the link is thrown the shorter willbe the stroke of the pump piston until the position shown in dottedlines is reached, when the pump piston will not work at all.

From any suitable carburetor or mixing chamber,

(not shown) the pipe, 28, leads into the pump, 15, through the port, 52.Surrounding the piston rod, 19, is a gear, 18, meshing with gear, 58.This gear, 18, is keyed or otherwise firmly secured to a sleeve, 49,which forms part of or is firmly secured to the valve, 50, said valvebeing a hat disk provided with an openingprcferably of a similar shapeto the opening 57 shown in Fig. 15 which by its rotation will come intoline alternately with the ports 52 and 53.

Through the port 53 the explosive mixture passes through the pipe 26 tothe opening, 27, in the plug, 54. The pipe, 26 is bolted to the plug 54,through the bolt holes, 74. A boss, 16, is provided in the end of thepump, to which, if desired, a pipe may be attached, not shown in thedrawings, and the other end of such pipe attached to the pipe 70 and airpumped through the core, 61, of the explosion chamber, for cooling thesame. Of course a suitable valve would be required as would be well,known to any mechanic.

The discharge or exhaust port, 2l, oi the piston cylinder, is bolted tothe case at 29, and the exhaust port,

22, of the abutment cylinder is bolted to the case at' discharge totouse the engine.

The case is provided with lugs, 12, and the pump with lugs, 17 forattaching the same to the frame o a vehicle, or a base ory in anyposition where it is desired A sprocket wheel, 63, on the main shaft,and a sprocket wheel, 59, on the abutment shaft, are shown for thepurpose of running the machinery or other thing to be driven, by meansof chains; belt pulleys may be used instead of the sprockets, or a boatscrew or other machinery may be rundirectly from' either shaft, or theengine may, of course, be used in any way desired. A ily wheel is shownat,l 85, but it may, o1" course be placed at any convenient point.

The various portions of the drawings marked, C, represent spaces coredout simply to save material and reduce weight. v I

The operation of our engine is as follows: Starting with it in theposition shown in Fig. l, the pump valve, 50, is in such a position thatthe port, 52, is open. The motion of the'eccent'ric, 20, pushes in thepiston, 51, drawing the mixed gases from the mixing chamber or"'carbureter through port, 52, into the pump; by this time the rotationof the gear, 18, and valve, 50, has closed the port, 52, and opened theport, 53, to the position shown in Fig.l 2. The continued rotation ofthe eccentric, now draws out the piston, 51, forcing the mixed gasesthrough port, 53 and pipe, 26, and open-v ing, 27, in plug, 54; the4rotation of the abutment shalt, 2, has, in the mean time, brought theopening, 57, in the flange, 56, in line with the opening, 27, so' thatthe mixed gases are forced through, 57, and through opening 65, andcompressed in the explosion chamber, 8. The continued rotation of theengine Will now have closed openings 53, and, 57, and brought vthe partsnearly to the position shown in Fig. 1, but,

before the rotation of the abutment shaft, 2, has opened the outlet. 84,of the explosion-chamber, 'a spark is given by the spark plug,- 31,igniting the gases While theA explosion chamber is still closed. Alterthe gases are ignited, the parts of the engine come into the positionshown in Fig. 1 where the rotation oi the abutment shaft 2, has broughtthe opening, 76, into conjunction with the outlet` 84, of the explosionchamber, allowing the exploded gases to expand through the opening, 10,in the abutment into the piston cylinder, 82 and against. the piston, 4,forcing the same around and/continuing the rotation oi the engine. Theair or gases in front of the piston passing out through the open exhaustport, 2l.

The channel, 25, is provided as a passage way lor the exploded gases,allowing them to pass around the abut ment to thev piston cylinderV andto act upon the piston, 4, until it has completed fully half itsrevolution, and the expansion of the gases in the piston cylinder stillexerting a force on the piston until it has reached the exhaust port'21.The abutment closes this channel, 25, just before it opens into thedischarge port, 22, and it opens into the exhaust port, 22, before therotation of the abutment shaft, 2 has closed the explosion chamber, s othat there shall for an instant be a free opening from the explosionchamber out through the exhaust port, 22 to allow the dead gases to`escape. The explosion chamber is closed by the abutment shaft, 2 justbefore the port, 53, from the pump opens to refill it with the explosivemixture.

By means of the link motion, 13, before described,

senses ce Vthe length of the' stroke oi the pump piston, 5l, may

be adjusted, thus regulating 'the amount'ol ga v, ploded at eachrevolution of the engine, and conse- 'quently regulating the speed ofthe engine.

The plug, 54, and explosion chamber, 6l, in connecl .tion with theflange, 56, form a valve of a novel character possessing peculiar andvvaluable features. It

Will be noted that this valve is continually grinding in its seat',evenly and always toward the center, and

Awill consequently always remain tight. The peculiar form lof the'opening, 57, also adds a valuable feature in tha-tit causes the valve toopen and close as quickly as possible with a uniform motion, or. inother words, it passes the largest possible amount oi gases 'in a giventime. i l

Theorniing of both the piston holder and the abutment of e. semicircularsection to fit one another, we

. `considerafeature ofimportance. v in the first place.v

the piston should be `circular so that it may conveniently loe` madetight by the use of the expansion rings, 7,I it beingirnpmeticable tolit an angular piston with expansionv rings. These expansion rings, 7,will expand to some degree when the piston enters the recess, ll0, inthe abutment; and if this abutment were `of `rectangular section, itsjunction with the piston cylinder, 82, would form a shoulder, againstwhich the expansion rings? would knock When rentcring the pistoncylinder' from the recess, l0, at every revolution. By making theabutment, however. as shown, we'avoid this diiiiculty; iorthe pistoncylinder, 82 land the abutment cylinder, 83 are practically-two equalintersecting cylindrical rings. and, it will be tool,

While ire have specifically described what appears to us to bo the ver,rbest means of accomplishing'the desired result.v we would have itunderstood thatwe do not. limit ourselves to the exact detailsofconsiruction shown, but reserve. the right to make sut-lr slightchanges und alterations as may suggest themselves from time to timewithout departing iromlhe'spirit of this invention or affecting theoperations ihcreof.

Having therefore fully des ibcd our invention and the .best mode knownto us oi' constructing and operat ing the same, what We Claim und desireto secure by 'Letters Patent, is,-

1. In a rotary explosion engine, a revolving pistonpau "annular cylinderin which the piston revolves,a piston carrier concentric with theVannular cylinder and with a seniicircular concave cross section,intersecting the nn nular cylinder and fitting.r the concavity of thepiston holder, and un opening in tbc abutment to permit the passage ofthe piston, substantially as shown und describcrl.-

2. In a rotary engine, :1 case, a main shaft haviru,r bearings in thecase, a piston holder of concave semicircular cross section secured tothe main shaft inside the case,` an annular piston cylinder formed ofthe case and the piston holder, a piston carried by the piston holdcrandadapted to revolve in the piston cylinder, a hollow abutment shafthaving bearings in the caso, gearing* connectiinf.; the main shaft withthe abutment shaft, an abutmeut oi convex scmicircula-r cross sectionsecured to the abutment shaft inside the case intersecting the pistoncylinder and fitting the concavil'y of the piston holder. au openingl inthc abutment to permit the pas., age of i'he piston und tho curry of theactuating iiuid, an opening;

`and a valve controlling the admission of'irases into the explosionchamber.

3. In a rotary engine. a piston carrier, thc caso an annular pistoucylinder, n piston carried by the piston cai-ricr an abutmentiulcrscciiucr the piston cylinder, an opening in'thc abulment to permitthe pas forming with sagre of the pistou und admit the actuating' fluid,and a l channel in thc caso permiit'iimr ilro pas ige of tho aei'uating:fluid pastV the abutment 4. ThrI combination of the plug, 54 andexplosion chambor, bycach haviiu;- a pyramitlal surface with an openingthrough thc same, a hollow shaft surrounding the plug and explosionchamber, an annular' flange of V shaped. cross section, formingr part ofthe hollow shaft and cxtending;- bcl'wceu and in contact with thepyramidal surfaces of the plu;Y und explosion chamber, through thelinneo capable of being brought into conjunction with rho openingsthrough the pinguini exploA sion chamber b r the-rotaton of the hollowVsl1t3.ft, l.ind moans for rotating' the hollow shaft.

lhr` combination of a piston holder of concave semicircular crosssection. a piston carried' by said holder', and

an expansion ring: of stunicircular cross sectlonadapted to tit aroundibo piston holder and cui out tn admit the` lneut is fixed and on whichit rotates having au opening coinciding: with the opening in theabutment; un explosion chamber inside the hollow shaft `and having; anopening therein arranged to coincide at predetermined intervals with theopening through the hollow shaft and -abutment,

and means for discharging gases in the explosion chamber atpredetermined intervals asl shown and described Iii testimony whereof wehave signed `our names io this specification in thepresenceof twosubscribing witnesses.

JOHN Fl son'rrrnRN. HENRY J, enrns'rl Witnesses S. H. LrNAwnAvnn, DAvxoKnrlso.

un` opening

